Royal Master

by Emilia Beaumont

  “I know. I still can’t believe it… we did it,” I said with a sigh of contentment.

  “We did. We’re official now. Sophie,” he said, taking my face in his hands, “know that I never needed anyone’s approval or rubber stamp to know that I love you. But having my family’s blessing is the cherry on top.”

  And it meant the world to me too that they’d approved of us, and that William wasn’t going to have to decide between me or his family. Family to me was very important. I looked up at him and saw the happiness in his eyes.

  “Do you think that Frederick had something to do with bringing us together? Two heart-broken souls… finding each other.”

  William smiled tenderly. “Perhaps that was his plan all along. And if he did, I owe him big time.”

  “Me too,” I said softly as he leaned down to kiss me. “Me too.”

  Twenty-Nine

  William

  “I can’t believe you talked me into this,” Sophie said.

  “To be honest, I’m still amazed that I was able to convince you.”

  We were just beyond the loading zone on the tarmac below a gorgeous summer’s day walking towards the plane, packs strapped to our backs. My legs were uncharacteristically shaky but I knew I had to put on a brave face for Sophie, otherwise she would turn on her heels and run back to the safety of the hangar.

  “I must be insane,” she muttered to me, a wide smile plastered on her face as we passed a line of photographers ready with their cameras. They jostled each other behind the rope, calling our names. I gave them a little wave but kept on striding onwards; if we stopped the forward momentum it would only give Sophie the chance to change her mind. Once we were in the plane I was sure everything would be fine and her nerves might settle down.

  “Really, it’s your own fault for organising this little event. You knew I would want to do it.”

  “Yeah but I didn’t expect you to rope me in too.”

  “Ah, you’ll love it. You were fine with the training jumps.”

  She blew out a large breath. “But this will be the first time I’ve ever jumped out a plane for real.”

  Jeremy greeted us with a broad smile, bouncing on his heels, as we arrived at the small gutted out plane. There were no proper seats except up front for the pilot and co-pilot. For us there were metal benches running along the inside. The plane’s only purpose was for jumps like these. Get enough altitude then let the cargo drop, I thought with a wry smile.

  “Oh, God. I don’t think I can do this.”

  “You can, my love. It’s just nerves. You’ll be fine once we’re in the air, away from that lot,” I said, looking over my shoulder. “Just remember it’s for a good cause. For Louisa and all those children with leukaemia. Remember your training and you’ll have nothing to worry about. Besides, I’m going to be right there with you. I won’t let anything happen to you, ok? Neither will Jeremy.”

  “I can promise you that,” he said, and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Strapped to me you’re in safe hands.”

  She nodded and climbed into the piston-powered plane. Jeremy turned to me and we shared a look. “And you, are you ready?”

  “Born ready,” I replied.

  He gave me a swift wink then climbed in to join Sophie.

  The plane climbed to 12,000ft and I got the nod from the instructor supervising the skydive then moved to the door, the wind already whipping at my face. I griped the metal edges and faced inwards to look directly at Sophie as Jeremy motioned her forward, inch by inch. She was sandwiched between us, strapped to him but looking at me, eyes wide, never breaking her gaze.

  I gave her my biggest smile ever and leaned in to kiss her.

  “I love you, Sophie Mortimer. Will you marry me?”

  Her mouth dropped open and I took a split second to register the complete and utter shock on her face, which I hoped took her mind off what she was about to do just a tiny bit. Then I released my grip, propelling myself backwards into nothingness. Praying her answer would be yes. Trusting that she wouldn’t let me fall.

  I lost sight of them as I tumbled through the air but knew Jeremy would be right behind me with Sophie in tandem. For a second I thought I heard her screaming and spun myself around, locating them not too far away. Through the thin air I gradually swam towards them, closing the gap, and hooked my hand into Jeremy’s, all the while trying to judge her reaction. But Sophie was too busy screaming, laughing and yelling, her hands over her mouth, as all three of us descended. It was an amazing sight to see, and I think I fell in love with her all over again.

  We broke apart, and I watched as Jeremy spun her around a few times, then motioned for her to spread her arms wide away from her mouth and check her gauge. Before her training kicked in she looked over to find me and she nodded; at least I thought it was a nod. Before I could decide for sure Jeremy pulled their cord.

  I waited a beat longer before I pulled mine, dropping a few more seconds; I wanted to be the first on the ground, ready to see her reaction coming down. It wasn’t long after that I touched down near the drop zone and spotted where Charlotte was waiting, the pre-arranged huge sign all laid out on the grass ready for Sophie to see.

  “Did she say yes?” Charlotte screamed at me as I detached my pack and ran to where Jeremy was guiding them down.

  “I don’t know yet!” I yelled back, smiling.

  Sophie’s hands were back covering her mouth as I watched her come into focus, scanning the ground and my message: SOPHIE, WILL YOU MARRY ME?

  Jeremy skilfully eased her down, bang on target. Bullseye.

  He released her and immediately I pulled out the ring I’d had tucked away in one of my pockets and went down on one knee. I had no idea how I managed to stay upright for so long; my legs were the consistency of jelly, like they’d been on my first jump. And it was all due to the woman before me.

  “Oh my God. Oh my God.”

  I caught my breath as I gazed up at her. She was bouncing on cloud nine, unable to contain the emotion that was running through her.

  “Sophie,” I said again, trying to hold my tears at bay and say the words one more time. Third time the charm, counting the sign that was… “Will you marry me?”

  “Yes, you lunatic!” she squealed. In an instant I was up and had her in my arms, kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

  Charlotte and Jeremy came close, clapping as we broke apart. Charlotte shared her congratulations and then gave Sophie a huge hug while Jeremy slapped me on the back.

  “Dude, she was screaming yes practically all the way down. I thought she was going to bust my eardrum when she saw the sign!”

  “Oh you big baby, you were screaming too,” Sophie said from behind Jeremy and nudged him.

  “Screaming with laughter, yes,” he said laughing again.

  I claimed my bride to be, wrapping my arms around her. “So did you like it?”

  A slow but steady smile spread her lips wide and she nodded apprehensively. “Yes… when can we do it again?”

  My mum had been right; I’d definitely found my match, my one and only soul mate. The one that made me forget all common sense and yet grounded me effortlessly. The one that I needed more than anything in this world.

  Forever may she reign in my heart.

  Thirty

  Sophie

  “Did you get it? Did anyone see you?”

  Brittany came running in, her cheeks red from all the exertion, slamming the doors behind her. She enclosed us in the master suite of Will’s rooms at Durham House that I’d only just moved into a few weeks ago. Charlotte sat by my side and squeezed my hand, but Brittany narrowed her eyes at the princess. She hadn’t been there when she’d left earlier.

  Brittany flicked a look towards me as if to ask if we could still speak freely. I gave her a quick nod and stood eagerly to get this over and done with. I needed to know for sure.

  “Well then, don’t just stand there, hand it over. We don’t have all day,” Charlotte said, a little too
brusquely. Brittany’s eyes flared but quickly hid her annoyance and stepped forward in my direction.

  “Did you get it?” I asked again.

  Brittany nodded and produced a small paper package from beneath her uniform. “You’re lucky they didn’t search me otherwise everyone would know what was going on in here in five seconds flat.”

  “Thank God, I don’t think I could handle the world knowing before I did.”

  I clutched the package, the paper crinkling under my touch. Now that the moment was here I wasn’t sure if I did even want to know. My heart thudded in my ears, drowning out all the sounds in the room. This was worse than that first jump. I’d been petrified then, excited too but still scared. It was only William’s little distraction that had somehow soothed my nerves and preoccupied my thoughts. But this, finding out if the nausea I’d been experiencing wasn’t the cause of food poisoning, was so much worse. Terrifying in fact. My knees shook just thinking about it.

  We hadn’t planned on starting a family so early, we weren’t even married yet! And if the sickness was the result of a baby—our baby—growing inside me then we were heading towards yet another scandal… a royal bride pregnant before she’d even gone down the aisle. My future mother-in-law, though she’d started to thaw, would have a fit.

  “Sophie?” Charlotte said gently. “Are you ok? Come, sit down.”

  I mentally brushed myself off and shook my head. “I’m fine, just freaking out a little bit.”

  “We’re right here. You freak out all you want. Our lips are sealed,” Britt said as the three of us stood in a loose circle.

  “Ok… here I go then,” I said taking a deep breath and moved towards the bathroom, my fate in my hands. In two minutes or less, we’d know.

  “We’ll be right outside,” Charlotte said, echoing Brittany’s words. “Whatever you need, we’re here.”

  I gave them a brave smile and closed the door before sitting down on the closed toilet seat.

  A few minutes later, while I was tidying myself up, I heard loud voices in the bedroom. Quickly I opened the door to see what was happening, hoping that Charlotte and Brittany weren’t locking horns again. Instead of two people in the room though there were now three.

  “What on earth is going on in here?” my future husband asked. He shot glares between his sister and Brittany, and then finally over to me when he noticed me in the bathroom doorway. His stare landed on the little plastic pregnancy test I held in my hands. Charlotte and Brittany turned in unison to stare too.

  “Holy shit,” he breathed, eyes darting to mine and back again to the test.

  No one said a word. The air had been sucked out of the room as we all waited for someone to do something… then I realised it was up to me to break the silence and give them the thumbs up or thumbs down. But my beautiful and impatient future sister-in-law jumped in first.

  “Well?” Charlotte said with a grin. “Am I going to be an aunt?”

  I twisted my lips, trying to hide my smile, and sheepishly looked at William, nodding.

  “You’re going to be a father.”

  He rushed towards me, taking me in his arms, kissing me like he’d done a thousand times before, though this time it felt extra special. No longer would it just be me and the Master of my heart, but together, united in our love, we were launching ourselves into the unknown again, another chapter of our lives; a royal heir to love and raise.

  Epilogue - William

  The granite headstone was polished to a high shine. I found it difficult to believe that my brother’s empty coffin was lying beneath me, six feet down.

  After leaving Sophie with her mum who’d wanted to stay a bit longer to discuss all the upcoming arrangements including the baby, I decided to come and spend some time with Frederick. I knew he wasn’t really there; I just wanted to feel his presence, be close to him somehow. Instead I found something else.

  “I wish you could be here,” I said, crouching down to place my hand on the cold stone. “You would be blown away by what is happening, Frederick. I’m getting married. And get this—I’m going to be a father too… can you imagine that?”

  The funny thing was, I didn’t think life would be quite the same if Frederick had been alive. I would never have had a reason to change or grow up if it weren’t for him forcing me to step up to my responsibilities. I would have never met Sophie, the love of my life, either. And even after all of the frustrations between me and my parents or the anger that I’d managed to build up from the life they’d wanted me to lead, somehow it was all wiped away because I had Sophie. I had her heart and her calming presence. Though before we knew about the pregnancy she’d started to really get addicted to the skydiving jumps, to the point where she was dragging me to the airfield and not the other way around.

  “I tell you, you must’ve been blind. How on earth you didn’t fall for her yourself, I will never understand,” I said to the headstone. “I am selfishly grateful that you didn’t. She is, hell I can’t even explain to you what she is. So special. Words will never be enough… I love her, Rick, and I am petrified that I might disappoint her one day.”

  There was no answer, but I could feel a calm come over me, the wind rustling in the well-established oak trees. I patted the cold stone before rising, feeling the sudden rush of tears as I looked down again at the grass.

  “I wish you were here. I miss you,” I repeated, trying to conjure up Rick’s face. “I wish that you could see how happy I am right now. I don’t know why we were so scared, to be honest. We always talked about how we would be forced to settle down one day… but I’ve done it on my own terms and I couldn’t be happier. I wish you’d had the chance to do the same. But I promise you this, I’ll make sure to look after her, and make you both proud. I’ll take good care of her and your crown for us both.”

  Giving him a two-fingered cocky salute, I walked away from the grave. I vowed to come back to visit from time to time, talk with Frederick, keep him up to date with what was going on in our lives, but I knew in my heart that he was somewhere above me, watching over all of us and putting his hand in where he thought it counted. Why he had decided to push me and Sophie together, I didn’t know, but I was unbelievably glad that he had.

  Suddenly I stopped when my eyes landed upon a figure before me. A familiar build that set my heart racing.

  Brown hair. Like mine.

  Blue clear eyes. Like mine.

  Almost a mirror image of me in the drizzling rain.

  The man stepped forward and raised his hand in greeting. And in that moment the illusion was lost and Rick’s image dissolved away.

  I began to walk again.

  “I hear congratulations are in order, brother,” Robert said with a sombre smile. “Shit, are you ok? You look like you’ve seen a ghost…”

  “You could say that,” I said just as Robert’s eyes widened, realising the implications of his words and presence.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to… I didn’t want to disturb you, so I waited here. Didn’t think.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I nearly had a heart attack, but I guess that’s what little brothers are for,” I said trying to make light of the situation; almost believing Frederick was back from the dead… and the disappointment that had come with it when it wasn’t true.

  “What are you doing here anyway?”

  “I told you before. We need to talk,” Robert said, and produced a crisp white envelope from his jacket breast pocket. The red seal had been broken and Robert’s name was neatly scrawled on the front with familiar handwriting I would’ve known from anywhere.

  Click here for your freebie: http://smarturl.it/ReigningLoveTree

  Special Extra

  Thank you for reading!

  To keep you going until book two in the series is released, I’ve got a special Spotify playlist for you. Click the link or the image below to check out the songs that inspired me during the writing process of Royal Master.

  I love them all, but tracks #6, #1
5 and #16 are my favs. Enjoy!

  About the Author

  Emilia Beaumont is a full-time writer, originally hailing from England, living in the South of Ireland with her husband and a house full of cats. Surrounded by peaceful emerald fields she always has a pen and notebook to hand ready for when the next saucy idea strikes. Emilia is also an avid comic-book reader and a wildlife advocate.

  Emilia’s Newsletter: http://smarturl.it/BeaumontNewsletter

  

  Connect with Emilia

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  For an up-to-date list please visit:

  www.emiliabeaumont.com/books

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  Forbidden Desires Series:

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  Vulture (a Stepbrother Romance)

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  Damaged Series:

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  Kiss Me Again (a Second Chance Stepbrother Romance)

  Hitman’s Revenge (a Forbidden Bad Boy Romance)

  Dream Daddy (a Dark Daddy’s Best Friend Romance)

  Daddy Ever After (a Billionaire Romance)

  Royal Bastard (a Bad Boy Royal Romance)